Caging mechanism for rewind machines



Nov. 4, 1941.

R. H. SCHULTZ ETAL GAGING MECHANISM FOR REWINDMACHINES Filed Feb. 19, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Adam J. 5ieber+ INVENTORS W ATTORNEY .7

Nov. 4, 1941. R. H. SC HULTZ EI'AL CAGING MECHANISM FOR REWIND MACHINES 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Feb. 19, 1941 Rudolph nsch l rz AdQmJTSFebeH' INVENTORSA 7 .43 ATTORNEY.

Patented Nov. 4, 1941 CAGING FOR REWIND MACHINES Rudolph H. Schultz and Adam J. Siebe'rt, Brooklyn, N. Y., assignors to Schultz Engineering Corporation, Brooklyn; N. Y., a corporation of New York Application February 19, 1941, Serial No. 379,556

13 Claims.

This invention relates generally to rewinding machinery in which a continuously moving web of the material to be rewound is fed to a caging mechanism which picks up the leading end of the web and starts it rewinding upon a rotating core. The invention is directed more specifically to an improved guiding and conveying arrangement for the caging mechanism, whereby the leading end of the web is guided and conveyed directly into a position upon the core where the ,v

cages operate to start the rewind. I

Heretofore, the leading end of the moving web was merely guided, in its movement towards the caging arrangement, by means of certain fixed guide wires which are highly efiicient for many types of material, but which are entirely useless,

where the material is very thin and comprises any one of the plastics which are highly sensitive to static electricity. Practically all materials in web form travelling at relatively high Referring to thedrawings, denotes the side frames ofva rewind machine and H the system of feed rollers over which the web of material is. fed and passes from a mill roll to the knife cylinder I2, where the web is severed, and thence to a rotating core I 3 supported in suitable chucks I4 of a carrier reel [5. The reel l comprises speeds are subject to static electricity to some degree, and it is usually possible to dissipate the static to the point where it does not interfere with the proper operation of the device. It has been found, however, as stated above, that certain plastics in web form have an affinityfor static electricity, which exceeds anything here tofore experienced, and which can not be dissipated by the usual means employed for the purpose, with a result that the web will not feed and will only crumple and adhere to any part of the machinewith which it may come into contact.

With the'foregoing in mind, it is the purpose of the present invention to provide a caging mechanism of rewind machines with moving flexible metal guide means adapted to guide and convey the web directly into the path of the cages and onto the surface of the core taking the rewind.

We accomplish this object by meansof an attachment consisting of certain arrangements and combination of parts hereinafter described, set forth in the claims and illustratively exemplified in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure l is a substantially longitudinal sectional view of a caging mechanism in its open position showing our improved flexible metal guiding attachment; 7

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 except that the cages are in their closed position;

Figure 3 is a front. elevational view of one end portion of the caging mechanism and flexible guide, the cages being shown in their open position, j

a pair of spaced cheek plates, one of which is attached to a spurv gear I6 in mesh with a driven gearll. A gear l8 isattached to gear I! and meshes with an intermediate gear I9 which in turn meshes with a gear operating the knife mechanism on the. knife'cylinder IZ, the latter carrying loosely a second gear 2|, which engages-with a spur gear 22 of a female roller 23, and which also meshes with a driven gear 24 carried by and operating the feed rollers II. p

In accordance with the embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings, thecaging mechanism comprises an upper jaw 25 and a lower jaw 26, which move towards and away from each other and the core [3 when the same a is in the position shown in Figures 1 and 2. The upper and lower jaws 25 and 26 each carry a plurality of discs 21 supported on shafts 28 which are carried at their ends in resiliently mounted bearing blocks 29. The shafts and discs of the upper jaw 25 run free while those of the lower jaw 26 are positively driven by means of a chain of gears 30. upper jaw are spring supported in cage plates 3|, which are eccentrically mounted on alined shafts 32 carried at theouter ends of arms, 33, the arrangement of the discs 29 and their shafts 28 being such that they form an arch which, when the side frames l0. Each arm 33 is virtually a bell crank and its shorter arm 35 projects away from the jaws to receive the lower end of a linkcon nection 36, the upper end of the latter being connected to one end of a lever arm 31 which is fixed to a rock shaft 38 journalled at its ends in the side frames [0. The rock shaft 38 carries a leverarm 39, adjacent one side frame H], which is attached to the upper end of a depending lever 40, the lower end thereof being provided with a yoke to embrace a cam shaft 4! and a follower 42 to run upon a cam 43 mounted on and turning with the shaft 41. It will be clear that as the cam 43 lifts the lever 40, the arm 33 will rock the shaft 38 and with it the arms 31,

the latter causing the link to depress the arms 35 and swing the arms 33 and upper jaw 25 to the open position, as illustrated in Figure l.

Mounted on and turning with the rock shaft 38 and disposed at opposite ends of the cases are two downwardly projecting lever arms 44, each arm having a lower angular projection 45 upon which the lower cage plates 26 are pivotally mounted, and an upper projection 46 directed substantially parallel to the lower projection 45. A rotary hollow shaft 46 is journalled at its ends in the upper projections 46 and upon the shaft 46' are keyed a plurality of-spaced grooved pulley wheels 41. The pulleys 41 carry the upper ends of continuous belts 48, the lower ends thereof being engaged about grooved pulley wheels 49 keyed to the innermost ofthe shafts 28 of the lower jaw 26. The pulleys 49 are arranged'intermediate the discs 21 carried on the same shaft 28.

The train of gears 36 for the discs 21 in the lower jaw 26 and at each end thereof, is driven from a second system of gears 50 supported at the pivotal connection of several links the uppermost link 52 thereof being connected to a lever arm 53, which is pivotally mounted at one end on the stud shaft 34, and which at its outer end carries the gear 54 forming the driving end as follows: Referring to Figure l, the web A is illustrated in rewinding position, i. e., the web is feeding from roller ll directly to the rotating core 13 which is in its lowermost position in the reel l5. The web in traversing this distance runs over the female knife roller 23 which is constantly rotated through the gear connection 2| and 22. While the rewind is taking place, the jaws are open and the belts 48 and 65 have been swung away from the web, as shown in Figure 1. As the measured length of the web is rewound,

' the knife cylinder l2 operates to sever the web by allowing the element 63 to move radially and enter the groove 62 of the female roller 23. At

of the system of gears 50. The gear 54 is connected to a sprocket 55 which supports the lower end of a chain 56, the upper end engaging and being driven by a sprocket 51 keyed to the shaft 58 integral with the end of the female knife roller 23. Any slack in the chain 56 is taken up by having its strand moving upwardly to engage an idler sprocket 59 loosely mounted upon the rock shaft 38. The lever arms 53 are maintained in proper operating positions by means of upwardly projecting arms 60, clamped at their inner ends to the pivotal connections of the arms 53 and links 52, and connected at their outer ends to the levers 44 by means of links 6|.

The female roller 23 is a solid metal member having a longitudinally disposed knife groove 62 in its surface to receive the cutting edge of the knife element 63 of the knife cylinder I2. The roller 23 is further provided with a plurality of spaced annular grooves 64 cut into the surface to a depth substantially below that of the knife groove 62. The grooves 64 carry the upper ends of a second set of belts 65, the lower ends being engaged in, grooved pulleys 66 which are mounted on a hollow shaft61 projected between the strands of the belts 48 at a point substantially midwayof their length. The shaft 61 at its ends is carried by thelower ends of depending arms 68 disposed on the shaft 58 adjacent ends of the female knife roller 23, the arms 68 being supported in workable positions by means of links 69, one end of each link being mounted in the adjacent lever44. and the other end in the arm itself. p

It is intended that the two sets of belts 48 and guide and convey theleading end of the sevthis stage in the operation, the cam 43 releases the rod 46 which drops and rocks the shaft 38 .and lever. arms 44 to the position illustratively exemplified in Figure 2. In this position the links 52 and 69 have caused the arms 53 and 68, respectively, to swing on their pivotal connections and cause the grooved female knife roller 23 and grooved pulleys 4'1, 49 and 66 to bring the upper strands of belts 48 and 65 directly under the path to be traversed by the leading end of the web between the roller 23 and the lower surface of the core I 3. At this stage, the discsof the upper and lower jaws 25 and 26 are embracing the core and starting the leading end of the web to rewind upon the rotating core, which remains in the position shown in Figure 2 until the jaws are reopened.

The belts are driven through the rotating female knife roller 23 which in turn drives, through the sprocket and chain 55, 56 and 51, the discs of the lower jaw 26. It has been found that the metal spring belts not only provide a suitable guide and conveyor system for the leading end of the web, but tend to dissipate any static electricity which may be generated by the moving web, thereby overcoming a condition which often interrupts repeatedly the operation of a machine of this character.

It has been found necessary where rewind machines are designed to handle webs of considerable width that the caging attachment be constructed in sections, as illustrated particularly in Figure 3. At one or more points throughout the width of a caging arrangement, the shafts 28 are divided transversely thereof and their ends are mounted in spring bearings 29 similar to those on the end plates 3|. The plates 31a carry the inner ends of the shafts 28 and are supported on the shaft 34 and arms 44 so as to give proper support to the jaws at their mid portions. It will be understood that the chain drive 55, 56, 51 from the female knife roller 23 and the gear train drives 30 and 50 will be duplicated at opposite ends of the caging attachment so as to insure uniform speed of movement of the shafts 28 and discs 21 on both sides of the intermediate supporting plates 31a. The shafts 28 of the lower jaw are tubular to lighten the weight of the lower jaw and to provide sufficient strength to insure perfect operation and. alinement of the shafts and discs. The shafts 28 of the upper jaw are small and solid and are used instead of hollow shafts, because they are not driven as the latter shafts are.

Having now described our invention and. the manner in which the same operates, what we desire to secure by Letters'Patent is:,

1. In a caging attachment for starting the leading end of a moving web of material onto a rotary core operating in a rewind machine,

the combination of upper and lower jaws having means to encircle the core in their'closed position; and continuous belts movablewith the low-- or jaw to support, carry and guide :the leading end 'of the web to the core and between the latter and the encircling means.

2. In a oaging attachment for' starting the leading end of amoving web of material onto a rotary coreoperating in a rewind machine, the combination of upper and lower jaws having discs to encircle the core inv the closed position of the jaws, and continuous flexible metal belts movable'with the lower jaw to support, carry and guide the leading end of the web to the core and between the latter and the said discs.

3. In a oaging attachment for starting the leading end of a moving web of material onto a rotary core operating in a rewind machine, the combination of rocker arms, upper and lower jaws supported on said arms and provided with resiliently supported discs to encircle the core in the closed position of the jaws, a grooved roller above said jaws to support the web, a set of pulleys supported to swing about the axis of the roller, helical spring metal belts running between the grooves of the latter and the set of pulleys, means linking the pulleys and the rocker arm of the lower jaw, sets of alined pulleys carried by the latter rocker arm and lower jaw and turning with certain discs of the lower jaw, and helical spring metal continuous belts running between the sets of alined pulleys, the upper strands of all belts in the closed position of the jaws being disposed along a line which is traversed by the web and which is tangential t a line between the outer and inner surfaces of the roller and core, respectively.

4. In a oaging attachment for starting the leading end of a moving web of material onto a rotary core operating in a rewind machine, the combination of reciprocating upper and lower jaws having means to encircle the core in the closed position of the jaws, a rotary roller over which the web travels to the core, and moving belts between said roller and the encircling means of the lower jaw to support, carry and guide the leading end of the web between the roller and core in closed positions of the jaws.

5. In a oaging attachment for starting the leading end of a moving web of material onto a rotary core operating in a rewind machine, the combination of reciprocating upper and lower jaws having rotary discs to encircle the core in the closed position of the jaws, a rotary roller over which the web travels to the core, a plurality of moving belts between said roller and the discs of the lower jaw to support, carry and guide the leading end of the web between the roller and core in the closing and closed positions of the jaws, and driving means operating from the roller and connected to the discs of the lower jaw and lowermost ends of some of said belts to positively rotate the discs and drive the belts.

6. In a oaging attachment. for starting the leading end of a moving web of material onto a rotary core operating in a rewind machine, the combination of reciprocating upper and lower jaws having rotary discs to encircle the core in the closed position of th jaws, a rotary roller over which the web travels and upon which the web is cut, a plurality of pulleys supported to swing about the axis of the roller and disposed substantially midway the distance between the latter and the lower jaw, continuous belts running about the roller and pulleys, means supporting the lower jaw and moving same into closed and open positions, a li'nk'toicause'itl'ie pulleys to swing with said supporting me'ansfor the lower'jawf. a set of pulleys. carriedbiv the said supporting means and disposed intermediate the roller and first mentioned pulleys, a third set of pulleys turning'with the disc of the lower jaw, and belts carried'byi the second and third sets of pulleys to cooperate with thefirst men-: tioned belts to 'support,guide and carry the lead--. ing end of the web from the roller tothe; core and discs of the lower jaw in the closed position thereof. 1 a

'7. In a oaging attachment for starting the leading end of a continuous web of material moving between the cutting cylinders and a rotary core operating in a rewind machine, the combination of reciprocating upper and lower jaws having rotary discs to encircle the core and the end of the web in the closed position of the jaws, and a plurality of helical spring metal continuous belts swinging with the movement of the lower jaw and running between the cutting cylinders and discs of the lower jaws to support, guide and carry the leading end of the web to the core.

8. In a rewind. machine of the character described, the combination of a rotary female knife roller having a plurality of spaced annular peripheral grooves and a longitudinal groove in its surface, and means for starting the leading end of a web of the material to be rewound onto a rotary core, comprising upper and lower jaws having discs to encircle the rotary core in the closed position of the jaws, a plurality of spaced pulleys mounted to turn with certain of the discs of the lower jaw, rocker arms supporting the lower jaw and having a plurality of rotary pulleys disposed adjacent the said knife roller, helical spring metal belts running between the two sets of pulleys, depending arms mounted to swing from said knife roller and having at their ends a set of spaced pulleys operating intermediate the upper and lower sets of pulleys first mentioned and helical spring metal belts running between the pulleys at the ends of the arms and the annular grooves of the knife roller, said belts on their upper strands being adapted to support, guide and convey the leading end of the web from the knife roller to the core in closed position of the jaws, and a link between the depending arms and the rocker arms for the lower jaw to cause sets of pulleys and their belts to move with the lower jaw.

9. A rewind machine as claimed in claim 8, including means for driving the discs and pulleys of the lower jaw, comprising a chain of gears for the discs and a sprocket and chain connection between said chain of gears and the said knife roller.

10. In a oaging attachment for starting the leading end of a moving web of material onto a rotary core operating in a rewind machine, the combination of upper and lower sectional jaws having outer and inner plates in which the ends of alined shafts are journalled to provide intermediate and outside support for the sections of the jaws, means carried by the shafts to encircle the core in the closed position of the jaws, and continuous belts movable with the lower jaw to support, carry and guide the leading end of the web to the core.

11. In a oaging attachment for starting the leading end of a moving web of material onto a rotary core operating in a rewind machine, the combination of upper and lower sectional jaws having means to encircle the core in the closed 13. A cagin'g attachment, as claimed in claim 11, in which the sectional upper and lower jaws, each comprise a plurality of sectional alined shafts carrying the encircling means comprising discs, and end plates and intermediat plates in which the alined sectional shafts are journalled, and means connected to said plates to move the jaws into open and closed position, the driven shafts of lower jaws being tubular to reduce the 10 weight of the lower jaw.

RUDOLPH H. SCHULTZ. ADAM J. SIEBER'I'. 

